Fuel deflecting mechanism



Aug. 3,1937. P. A. KETCHPEL FUEL DEFLECTI ENG MECHANISM F il ed March'7, 193s 4 she ets-g he t 1 m K A L M P ATTORNEY.

Aug. 3, 1937.

. FUEL DEFLECTING MECHANISM Filed March .7, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 4INVIIINTOIR. .Paa l AKetch oez L BY v ATTORNEY.

P. A. KETCHPEL- 2,088,602

Patented Aug. 3, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,088,602 FUELDEFLECTING MECHANISM Stoker Company, Inc., New poration of DelawareApplication March 7,

12 Claims.

This invention relates generally to a firebox construction, andparticularly to the firebox of a locomotive, the firing opening of whichis provided with a fuel deflecting member above the 5 path of theintroduced fuel and a fire door.

It is an object of the invention to provide, in a structure of the typedescribed, a deflecting member arranged to be actuated by the fire door,so that when the fire door is opened, the deflect- 10 ing member will bemoved from its normal position to a position where it will not obstructthe firing opening.

A more specific object of the invention resides in the provision of asimple, convenient, efficient 15 and practical means for actuating thedeflecting member directly from the fire door, including a camarrangement.

It is a further object of the invention to provide in a structure of thetype described, an arrangement whereby the deflecting member is movedfrom its normal position to a position where it will not obstruct thefiring opening, the movement of said deflecting member being responsiveto the opening ofthe door and occurring only when the door has beenopened a predetermined distance.

Further objects of the invention reside in the details of constructionof the firedoor and fuel deflecting member and other parts, and thenovel 30 arrangement and combination of the parts as will appear fromthe following description when read in conjunction with the drawings, inwhich Fig. 1 is a. central vertical longitudinal section through aportion of the rearward end of a loco- 35 motive showing the invention,partly in section and partly in elevation, applied to the firebox of thelocomotive;

Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of the fire door as seen from the insidethereof and showing a cam 4 groove arrangement applied thereto;

Fig. 3 is a view taken on the lines 33-3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view in elevation of the fire door frame and the deflectingmember, parts being broken away and shown in section, illustrating themeans for supporting the deflecting member from the frame;

Fig. 5 is a sectional Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a view of the locomotive and firebox similar to that shown inFig. 1, with a modified form of the invention applied thereto;

Fig. 8 isan elevational view of the interior of view on the line 5-5 ofYork, N. Y., a 001'- 1933, Serial No. 659,919

the fire door showing the cam groove of the modified form of theinvention applied thereto;

Fig. 9 is a View taken on the line 9-99 of Fig. 7; and

Fig. 10 is a view in perspective of the connecting rod between the firedoor and deflecting memher.

For convenience of description, the term forward is employed to. denotethe direction in which the fuel passes through the stoking mechanism.The terms rearward and lateral are used for the purpose of definingdirections with reference to this forward passage of fuel.

In the drawings, referring more particularly to the preferred form ofthe invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 6 inclusive, the backwall orrear water leg of a locomotive boiler is shown at l0, and has a fireboxopening H therethrough. A deck l2 extends rearwardly from the backwalll0 below the lower marginal edge of the firebox opening H. Suitablemeans is provided for discharging fuel to or into the lower portion ofthe firebox opening, as by a stoker indicated generally by the numerall3. The stoker I3 includes a fuel casing l4 communicating with the lowerportion of the firebox opening I l.

The upper portion of the firebox opening, above the casing i4, isprovided with an arched door frame IS on which is mounted a firedoor [6comprising the door members I! which meet upon the vertical center lineof the firebox opening and are pivoted upon pins 18 to swing laterallyand vertically. The door members I! when. open permit hand firing offuel and permit the insertion of a hook or poker through the fireboxopening when cleaning or raking the fire.

Suitable means is provided for scattering fuel over the fire, includinga distributor plate l9 across which the fuel is projected by pressurefluid issuing from a distributor head 20, located at the rear of thedistributor plate I9. In scattering fuel over the firebed in a'firebox,particularly over the firebed of a locomotive firebox, the

draft causes a comparatively large amount offuel particles to be carriedover the firebox arch and to escape through the stack unconsumed,causing not only a very appreciable economic loss but also creating anuisance by reason of the fact that the unconsumed particles are carriedback into the coaches and deposited along the right of way. To overcomethese sources of economic loss and annoyance, the use of top deflectorswhich tend to hold the fuel down closer to the firebed where they willbe consumed, have been proposed.

The use of such top deflectors in conjunction with a distributor platehas in a large measure overcome these difficulties. However, in some ofsuch constructions the top deflector has interfered with hand firing offuel or with the use of a hook or poker in raking or cleaning the fire.By my invention the deflecting member 2| is'automatically moved,simultaneously with the opening of the firedoor 6 to a positionpermitting free access to the firebox for purposes of hand firing or theinsertion of a hook or poker to rake or clean the fire. The deflectingmember 2| is arranged to be actuated directly by the firedoor |6 so thatit will function whether the door is operated by power means or whetherit is operated manually.

The fire door l6 may be operated by a fluid pressure apparatuscomprising a cylinder 22, containing a piston for actuating the doormembers l1, and suitable valve mechanism (not shown) may be provided inthe pressure fluid line 23 and cylinder 22. For operating the door It byhand, a hand lever 24 is provided.

The deflecting member 2| comprises the hollow flat plate-like forwardportion 25 slightly less in width than the width of the firing opening,and a hollow rearward portion 26 of lesser width than the forwardportion 25 formed with the transversely extending tubular shaft 21. Apair of spaced brackets 28 and 29 depend from and are secured'in asuitable manner, as bybolts 30, from the sides of the top of the arch ofthe door frame I5. The brackets 28 and 29 have formed therewith aligned,transversely inwardly extending hollow members 3| and 32 respectively,forming bearings upon which the tubular shaft 21 of the deflectingmember 2| is rotatably mounted, permitting pivotal movement of thedeflecting member 2| about the bearings 3| and 32.

Normally, when the door members 1 are closed, the deflecting member 2|is in the position indicated in Figure 1, in which position the flatplatelike portion 25 tends to hold down the fuel projected acrossthe'plate 9 closer to the firebed where it will be burned instead ofbeing can'ied over the firebox arch unconsumed. When the door members 1are opened, the deflecting member is arranged to be elevated by anupward swinging movement about its rearward end as a pivot to a positionadjacent the upper marginal edge of the firing opening where it will notobstruct the firing opening.

The novel arrangement for operating the deflecting member 2| will now bedescribed in detail. The tubular shaft 21, opposite the deflectingmember 2|, is provided at one end with the rearwardly extending lug 33.A roller 34 is mounted on ,the free end of the lug 33 on roller bearings35 and is held in position thereon by a cap 36 threaded in the free endof the lug33. cap 36 constitutes a spacer cage for the roller bearings35 and cooperates therewith in the customary manner to prevent lateralmovement of the roller 34. A plate 31 is secured to the inner side ofone of the door members |1 adjacent its upp r, end, by suitable means,as by rivets 38 passing through the depending and upstanding flanges 39and 40, respectively, of the plate 31. When the door members H areclosed, the plate 31 extends laterally inwardly beyond the door 31 isprovided with a curved groove 4| for a shortdistance therefor, so that,when the door members l1 are opened, the lug 33 will be forceddownwardly by reason of the engagement of its roller 34 in the camgroove 4|, and the deflecting member 2| will be raised about its pivotedrearward end to a position adjacent the upper marginal edge of thefirebox opening. Whenthe door members H are closed the deflecting memberagain assumes its operative position above the distributing plate I9.

The hollow plate-like portion 25 of the deflecting member 2| ispreferably provided with a plurality of openings 42, so that acontinuous current of air will be drawn from without the firebox throughthe hollow members 3| and 32, the transversely extending tubular shaft21 and the hollow deflecting member 2|, into the firebox, therebymaterially increasing the life of the deflecting. member.

In Figures 7 to 10, inclusive, is shown an alternative construction; inwhich the deflecting member is pivotally mounted adjacent'the upperforward end of the stoker casing |4 instead of adjacent the uppermarginal edge of the firebox opening, as in the preferred form of theinvention.

1 In the modified construction, a substantially rectangular shapedhollow plate-like deflecting member 50, is rotatably mounted at its hubportion 5| on the bearings52 and 53 which extend laterally inwardly fromthe opposite sidewalls of |1 through engagement of the lug 33 and its.

roller 34 in the cam groove 4| of the plate 31. The shaft 21,however,instead of carrying a deflecting member, carries aforked'projection 54 having a pin 55 extending transverselytherethrough. The hub portion 5| of the member 50 carries a similarforked projection 56 diametrically'opposite the deflecting memberv 50,having a pin 51 extending transversely therethrough. A link 58,.provided in its .opposite ends with the grooves 59 and 60 which engagethe pins 55 and 51 respectively, transfers rotary movement from theshaft 21 to the hub portion 5| of the deflecting member 50 therebyraising or lowering the latter, according to whether the door membersare being opened or closed.

For ease in operation of the deflecting member 50 and the door membersH, the overhanging weight of the deflecting member 50 is such that onlya smallamount of force will benecessary to open the door members |1..

In order to permit opening the door members H a slight distance forpurpose of inspecting the fire, without'causing the deflecting member 50to move and without necessitating shutting off of the 'blast issuingfrom the distributor head 20, the lower end of the cam groove 4| may beso curved that the roller 34 will move therein without causing the lug33 to be depressed.

The deflecting member 50 is provided with a plurality of openings 6| andthe hub portion 5| is providedwith a plurality of openings '62,permitting'a' current of air to be drawn from without the firebox, intothe firebox through the holow deflecting member deflecting.

50, thereby increasing the life thereof andalso providing a source ofair such in furnaces arranged for stoker or manual I claim: I

I 1. In combination with a firebox having a wall with afiring openingtherein, a fuel casing communicating with the lower portion of saidopening', a firedoor for the upper portion of said opening movable in ap-lanesubstantially parallel to the plane of said firebox wall, a fueldeflecting member pivotally mounted on a' horizontalaxis extendingtransversely of said firing opening and parallel to said firebox wall,said fuel deflecting member extending into said firebox, means foropening said firedoor, a cam on the inner side f said firedoorandarranged to move therewith, "and means operable by said cam formoving said pivotally mounted deflecting member upon its pivot. I

= 2.-In combination with a firebox having a wall with a firing openingtherein, a fuel casing communicating with the lower portion of saidopening, a firedoor for the upper portion of said opening movable in aplane substantially parallel to the plane of said firebox wall," afuel'deflecting' member pivotally mounted adjacent the outerupper'marginal' edge 'of the firing opening and' extending through saidopening into said firebox, said fuel deflecting member being mounted ona horizontal axis extending transversely 'of said firing opening andparallel to said firebox =wall, means for opening said firedoor, a camon the inner'side of said firedoor and arranged to move therewith, andmeans operable by said cam for moving said pivotally mounted deflectingmember upon its pivot.

3. In combination with a firebox having a wall with a firing openingtherein, a fuel casing communicating with the lower portion of saidopening, a firedoor for the upper portion of said opening movable in aplane substantially parallel to the plane of said firebox wall, a fueldeflecting member pivotally mounted adjacent the upper forward edge ofsaid casing and extending through said opening into said firebox, saidfuel deflecting member being mounted on a horizontal axis extendingtransversely of said firing opening and parallel to said firebox wall,means for opening said firedoor, a cam on the inner side of saidfiredoor and arranged to move therewith, and means operable by said camfor moving said pivotally mounted deflecting member upon its pivot.

4. In combination with a firebox having a wall with a firing openingtherein, a fuel casing communicating with the lower portion of saidopening, a firedoor for the upper portion of said opening movable in aplane substantially parallel to the plane of said firebox wall, a fueldeflecting member pivotally mounted on a horizontal axis extendingtransversely of said firing opening and parallel to the plane of saidfirebox wall, said fuel deflecting member extending into said firebox,means for opening said firedoor, a cam race on the inner side of saidfiredoor and arranged to move therewith, and means received in said camrace and operable thereby for moving said pivotally mounted deflectingmember upon its pivot.

5. In combination with a firebox having a opening,

firingopening, a fuel casing communicating with the lower portion ofsaid opening, a firedoor for the upper portion of said opening, adeflecting member pivotally mounted at its rearward end and'extendinginto said firebox, a curved cam 5 "race on'the inner 'side of saidfiredoor and arrange d-to move therewith, means for opening saidfiredoor, means arrangedto be received at one end in said curved camrace'and operatively connected at its other end with said deflectingmember, said last named means being operable by said cam race for movingsaid deflecting member about its pivotally mounted end when saidfiredoor is moved.

6. In combination with a firebox having a communicating with the lowerportion of said a firedoor for the upper portion of said opening hingedupon approximately a horizontal wall provided with a firing opening, afuel casing axis extending longitudinally of said firebox, a

- deflecting member pivotally mounted at its rearward end and extendinginto said firebox, said firedoor being'provided on its inner side with acurved cam groove, connecting means operatively connected at oneend tosaid deflecting member and operatively engaging at its other end in saidcurved cam groove, a portion of said cam groove being described on anarc concentric with the axis of said firedoor whereby during a portionof the 0 movement of the door, the cam groove will be' ineffectivetomove the deflecting member, and a portion of said cam groove beingdescribed on an arc eccentricwith the axis of said firedoor wherebyduring another portionof the movement of the door the curved camgroovewillfi move said deflecting member through the said connectingmeans.

7. In combination with a firebox having a firing opening, a fuel casingcommunicating with a portion of said openingga firedoor forthe 're- 4maining portion of said opening, means for opening said firedoor, adeflecting member pivotally mounted at its rearward end and extendinginto said firebox, means operatively connecting said firedoor and saiddeflecting member, said last named means being responsive to movement ofsaid firedoor for moving said deflecting member from its normalposition, said means being arranged to be ineffective for moving saiddeflecting member during a portion of the movement of said firedoor andbeing operable by said firedoor during the remaining portion of itsmovement for moving said pivotally mounted deflecting member upon itspivot.

8. In combination with a firebox having a firing opening, a fuel casingcommunicating with a portion of said opening, a firedoor for theremaining portion of said opening, means for opening said firedoor, adeflecting member pivotally mounted at its rearward end adjacent theupper forward edge of said casing and extending into said firebox, meansoperatively connecting said firedoor and said deflecting member, saidlast named means being responsive to movement of said firedoor formoving said deflecting member from its normal position, said means beingarranged to be inefiective for moving said deflecting member during .aportion of the movement of said firedoor and being operable by saidfiredoor during the remaining for moving said pivotally mounteddeflecting member upon its pivot.

9. In combination with a firebox having a wall with a firing openingtherein, a fuel casing comportion of its movement municating with saidfiring opening, a firedoor forming with said casing a closure for saidfiring :opening, a fuel deflecting member pivotally mounted on ahorizontal axis extending transversely of said firingopening andparallel to said firebox wall, said fuel deflecting member extendinginto said firebox, means for opening said firedoor, a cam movable withsaid door and means operable by said cam for moving said pivotallymounted deflecting member upon its pivot.

10. In combination with a firebox having a wall with a firing openingtherein, a fuel casing communicating with the lower portion of saidopening, a firedoor for the upper portion of said opening movable in aplane substantially parallel to the plane of said firebox wall, a fueldistributing plate mounted in said firing opening for receiving fuelfrom said casing, means for projecting fuel across said plate into saidfirebox, a

fuel deflecting member pivotally mounted on a horizontal axis extendingtransversely of said firing opening and parallel to said firebox wall,

said deflecting member normally extending for- Wardly from its pivotallymounted end into the firebox in a plane a distance above saiddistributor plate to deflect a portion of the projected fuel-downward,means for opening said firedoor and means connecting and transmittingmotion from said firedoor to said deflecting member including mechanismfor translating the transverse motion of the firedoor to verticallyswinging movement of the deflector about its axis.

11. In combination with a firebox having a wall with a firing openingtherein, a fuel casing communicating with the lower portion of saidopening, a firedoor for the upper portion of said opening movable in aplane substantially parallel to the plane of said firebox wall, a fueldistributing plate mounted in said firing opening for receiving fuelfrom said casing, means for projecting fuel across said plate into saidfirebox, afuel deflecting memberpivotally mounted adjacent'the outerupper marginal edge of the firing opening on a horizontal axis extendingtransversely of said firing opening and parallel to said firebox wall,said fuel deflecting member 7 normally extending forwardly fromitspivotally mounted end into the firebox above the horizom tal plane ofthe fuel projecting means andforming a roof over the distributing platesubstantially the full width of the fuel stream, means for open ing saidfiredoor and means responsive to the opening of said firedoor arrangedto raise said deflecting member about its pivotal mounting to a positionadjacent the upper 'marginal edge of the firing opening.

12. In combination with a firebox having a wall with a firing openingtherein, a fuel casing communicating with the lower portion 01' saidopening, a firedoor for the upper portion of said opening movable in aplane substantially parallel to the plane of said firebox wall, a fueldistributing plate mounted in said firing opening for receiving fuelfrom said casing, means for projecting fuel across said plate into saidfirebox, a fuel deflecting member'pivotally mount:

ed adjacent the upper forward edge of said casing on a horizontal'axisextending transversely of said firing opening and parallel to saidfirebox wall, said fuel deflecting member normally extending forwardlyfrom its pivotally mounted end into the firebox above the horizontalplane of the fuel projecting means and forming a roof over thedistributing platesubstantially the full width of the fuel stream, meansfor opening said firedoor and means responsive to the opening of saidfiredoor arranged to lower said deflecting member about its pivotalmounting towards the lower marginal edge of the firing opening.

PAUL, A. KETCHPEL.

